Burrowing-machine



A. B. SALIGER.

BURROWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1919.

1,372,318. Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALOISB." SALIGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO SALIGEE SHIP SALVAGE COR- PORATION, OF NEW YORK, Y. i

BURROWING-MACHINE.

T 0 all whom it may come m Be it known that I, ALoIs B. SALIGER, a citizen of the United States, residim at New York, county and State of New fork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Burrowing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for penetrating or burrowing into the ground being more particularly applicable to burrowing into submerged or otherwise not readily accessible ground, as for instance for the purpose of passing under the hull of a sunken vessel so as to pass a chain or rope thereunder in connection with efforts to salvage the same.

The obiect of my invention is to provide a burrowing apparatus which shall be simple in construction, durable, eflicient in operation, and which shall be capable of being operated and guided from a distance at the will of the operator.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices and parts, as set forth in the claims forming part of this specification, one embodiment of such apparatus being herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation along the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 showing an apparatus embodying my invention; 'ig. 2 is a top view of the same, a part of the casing being broken away to show the interior; and Fig. 3 is a front end view.

In carrying my invention into effect in the embodiment thereof which I have selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings and for description in this specification, I provide a body or casing 1, in which is mounted a suitable motor indicated at 2. In the front of said casing are disposed as shown a plurality of screw propellers, 3, 3, which are secured to the shafts, 4, 4. These shafts are rotatably mounted as shown and are adapted to be rotated by said motor through and bymeans of the gears and shafts, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. In the drawings a hydraulic or pneumatic motor is indicated and 12 and 12 represent the intake and outlet pipes, respectively. 13, 13, are flexibletubes through which liquid or gas under pressure is supplied to! the motor from any suitable source.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented llIar. 22, 1921 Application filed September 5, 1919. Serial No. 321,974. 3

of supply, not shown in the drawings, but

which may be a pressure pump or air compressor. 14, 14, are valves by means 0 wh ch the motor may be regulated.

15 is a rudder pivotally mounted in the said casing, 1, at 16. This rudder is adapted to be operated by means of the piston arrangement shown at 17 and 17 18, 18, are supply tubes to the piston chambers, 17, 17, and serve alternately as both inlet and outlet. 19, 19, are three-way valves in said supply tubes 18, 18. It will be apparent that. the rudder may be deflected in elther of two directions by forcing fluid under pressure into one of the oppositely dis posed piston chambers, while at the same time releasing the pressure in the opposing one by means of the valve, 19. 21 is a suitable ring or hook secured to the casing, 1, as shown, and which forms a suitable means of attachment for the cable, 20. 22 is a fender-shaped projection of the casing, 1, and 23 is an annular opening in same which forms a suitable means of attaching to said burrowing machine for the purpose of handling same. 1 1 are ribs runnin lengthwise on opposite sides of the outsi e of casing 1, and are preferably integral with it. They serve to keep the machine on a straight, lateral course and also as convenient chambers for the "intake and outlet pipes 12 and 12". g

As shown in the drawings, the-propellers are adapted to be used in pairs having right and left hand screw pitch and to rotate in opposite directions.

It is obvious that more than one set of propellers might'be employed, also that different kinds of motive power may be substituted, such as a suitable electric motor, also that the shape of the machine may be changed from that shown in the drawings, and also that a rudder might be disposed at right angles to the one shown and provided with similar means of actuating same, forthe purpose of giving the machine lateral control, without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Inuse, as for instance when a cable is to be drawn under a sunken vessel which isresting on a sandy or muddy bottom, the burrowing machine is lowered into position and pointed in the desired direction. The motor in the machine is then started and chine forward wWhat claim :as new byLettersPatentiss: c

= 1 pulses communicated theretov from a 7 dis draw the machine forward when rotated, a

suitable motor within said housing to rotate said propeller, and a rudder adapted to change the course of said machine, and a means of controlling the position of said rudder from a distance, substantially as shown and described.

5. A burrowing machine comprising a 1 i 1 i E' the rotating propellers draw thei'wholel niai The up and :down direction nf the machine is contro'lled by means of the i i 1 rudder while: the machine, is under ground,

1 and as soon as: the propellers: are out of the ground ion the other side of said; sunken i 1 ship f the whole burrowing ;m ach ine :mayv 2 I easily; be: hoisted: by suitable; lifting means.v 1 Before being vso hoisted, the tubes 13: and

i 18 are disconnected; In case where a by? v 1 I drauiic engine 1 is used, the exhaust from 1 same: still under consi lerable pressure, 1 i he used to sluice an opening through which,

I 1 the: machine may: travel more I easily, as is: indicated in Fig; 51; I Alsoin case: Where an -i 1 ther type engine is used this isluicing ara'n gemfenti may still I he 1 maintained, Where: I

: itionis require it, independently; of: the; g e ngineriwui flfii and: desire to secure; I 3 v z z themachima;may bedirected;fron za dis-zI i --wwi z litllnsaburrowingmachinevthe combina i tion; with a housing; of devices adapted; to: Y

propel the machine "and: devices adapted to ontrol 2 the direction of the: machine: I said controlling devices being operable; from:

2; In a burrowing :maehine the: combina-; 1 I inn with: a; housing, of, devices adapted to: f propel the; machineand devices adapted to: r i i I control the direction ofi'the machine 2 said: 1 i 7 controlling: devices being operable by & ime I housing,apluralityofscrew;propellersdisv I pose in szrid h using and soarranged as; to draWthe-machine forwardvwhenrotated,'a suitableumotcr;withinzsaidhousing'tozro-wv:an tate saidupropellers as means for sluicing Lentithe pathin whichhthemaohineisvtoa travel, a: rudder adapted to: 1 change the I :course of said machine, and: means for I Y controlling the: position of said rudder from scribed; w- 1;i;'6;;AburrowingmachineZ comprising-ahousing, a; meansv for propelling :said imafi' I I Y chine, and a means by iwhlch' the, course of the l machine; mav he directed from a distance at the will; of the operator: :substam I 'tialiyi'as:shmi' n and descrihed.: i i s? I burrowing: :maohine: comprising: a .7

housing, a: means for propelling: said ma-i:

chine; and a; means by which; the course of 1 tance at the will :of the operator :independ- 1 Y ient ofi anyifixed guiding-support, 2 t f 2 i -;8.= A; burrowingimaehinepcomprising'ina I I 1 combination a housing, a shaft journaled in said housing and extending I outside of; the z same, a propeller on the outer end of said I I shaft, a motor in said; housing operatively connected to said shafh; a rudder; :means 1 adapted to: operate said: rudder, and means i c adapted tovsupply' power to said motorr and z 'tosaid'rudderioperating meansf 1 I i 1 s I I v 1 r 9. A burrowing machine, comprising in; 1 combination 3f housing-ya shaft :journaled ,1 in; said housingwand:extendingwoutsideefwsw 1 12: the same, a propeller on the outer end of said shaft, a motor in said housing operatively connected to said shaft, a rudder, means adapted to operate said rudder, and means adapted to sup ly power to said motor and to said rud er operating means: said rudder operating means comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, and a rod operatively connecting said piston and said rudder;

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 3rd day of Sept, 1919.

ALQIS B. SALIGER.

Witnesses:

R. KEARNS, J OPH A. ZINWER.

:a: distance, substantially asshownand Ide I I z I; 

